Gratham aims to be bang in form at Foxhall

The sport of banger racing might not be the most glamorous form of motor sport, but it remains the most popular within the UK in terms of competing drivers and spectator numbers.

There are racetracks across the country with Arlington near Eastbourne the nearest major one.

Today at the Foxhall raceway in Ipswich, drivers from the tracks across the UK will gather to contest the main title for bangers, their world championship.

Based at the Flint Garage in Barnham is one driver who will trying to win the gold roof. That’s the colour the world champion can paint the roofs of their cars if they win the world title.

Tom Grantham, known within banger racing as Leadfoot because of his liking for a high-speed crash, has been racing for more than a decade, starting with the bigger national vehicles and more recently moving to the smaller bangers.

This year has been Grantham’s busiest year and his efforts have been rewarded with qualification for the world championship.

With almost weekly meetings at Arlington and some trips to the track at Aldershot on Sundays during the summer, Grantham and his team of dedicated helpers secured good results to obtain the points needed to get a place in the world final.

With more than 50 cars expected in the world final race, with the line-up for the race determined by a random draw, Grantham will be hoping for a position near the front to increase his chances of taking the title.

Grantham will certainly be out to entertain what’s expected to be a large crowd.

He will be racing one of his Honda Civics, the preferred make and model of car for most drivers.

With a touch of good fortune added to Grantham’s driving ability, it could mean Leadfoot wins gold and Barnham is home to a world champion.

If you are interested in sponsoring Grantham’s world final car he can be contacted at the Flint Garage in Barnham, close to the railway station, or via his Facebook page.